Fluid shut-in valve



Nov. 3, 1953 c, HUBER r 2,657,895

FLUID SHUT-IN VALVE Filed Nov. 14, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5 5 7 8 x e y.2 2 2 2 0 ,E E W v M k k W 4 1 m w i 1 L um I]!!! 1. 1/ w H CH p w 4 9 77 1 1 a 4 I I'll mwm mmmw m mwfi Nov. 3, 1953 C. L. HUBER ET AL FLUIDSHUT-IN VALVE Filed Nov. 14, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS,arosL/vuasp, By H422) 6.5/r/PPER,

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Patented Nov. 3, 1953 FLUID SHUT-IN VALVE Clyde L. Huber, Houston,

Montrose, Calif., assignors, by mesne Skipper,

Tex., and Harry G.

assignments, to Johnston Testers, Inc., Houston, Tex., a corporation ofDelaware Application November 14, 1949, Serial No. 127,095 5 Claims.251-8) This invention relates to oil well tools, and particularlypertains to a fluid shut-in valve.

In making formation tests in oil well operations, it is common practiceto lower a testing tool into the ground which usually includes a packer,an equalizing valve, a retaining valve, and a trip valve, so that asample of the connate fluid in the well bore may be entrapped. Uponcompletion of a test it is desirable to determine the shut-in formationpressure while the packer is still set. This shut-in pressure and timeof build-up are indicative of productivity and permeability of the sand.It is the principal object of the present invention, therefore, toprovide a shut-in tool which may be attached conveniently to a formationor casing tester, and which may be manipulated from the ground surfaceto control the flow of fluid passing into a sample chamber formed by thestring of pipe supporting the tool.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a coupling headcarrying a, pin at one end and being formed with a sub at the oppositeend to carry a housing within which a valved mandrel is positioned, saidmandrel being capable of longitudinal movement whereby the valve may bemoved to a closed position.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic view in elevation showing the assembly of thevarious parts of a testing tool and their relation to the shut-in valve.

Fig. 2 is a view in central longitudinal section showing the upper endof the shut-in valve structure in its open position.

Fig. 3 is a view in central longitudinal section showing the lowerportion of the valve in its open position.

Fig. 4 is a view in central longitudinal section showing the upperportion of the valve in its closed position.

Fig. 5 is a view in central longitudinal section showing the lowerportion of the valve With the valve closed.

Fig. 6 is a view in transverse section as seen on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4and shows the spline connection between the lower mandrel and thesleeve.

Fig. 7 is a view in transverse section as seen on the line 1-1 of Fig. 5and shows the spline connection between the sleeve and the housing.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, N) indicates a string ofdrill pipe by which a testing tool is suspended within a well. Connectedto the upper end of the testing tool is the 2 usual trip valve II, whichis of a construction to provide a valve which is normally closed and canbe released and opened by dropping a godevil in the well or by othertrip means con trolled from the top of the well. Usually connected tothe trip valve II is a retaining valve l2. Such a retaining valve is themain valve of an ordinary tester. This includes a tappet valve and itsseat, upon which seat the valve is held by a spring l3. Usually securedbelow the retaining valve [2 is an equalizing valve M. In the presentuse of the trip valve and the retaining valve, however, a shut-in valveI5 is interposed between the trip valve II and the retaining valve [2.The present invention is concerned particularly with the shut-in valve.In any event, a packer is required and, as shown in Figure l of thedrawing, a rathole packer I6 is used, although in some instances asleeve packer may be associated with the structure when a test is to bemade in an open hole or in a well casing. The details of construction ofthe shutin valve 15 are more particularly disclosed in Figs. 2 to '7,inclusive, where it will be seen that a sub [1 is provided with a box [8to receive the pin [9 forming a part of a connection of the trip valve lI. The sub has a central threaded bore 20 at its lower end whichcommunicates with a central passageway 2| extending upwardly into thebox. The bore 20 is provided to receive the threaded upper end of atubular mandrel 22. This mandrel has a cylindrical length 23 which is inthreaded engagement with a lower mandrel section of reduced diameterindicated at 25. A shoulder 24 is formed on the portion 25.. The reducedlength of mandrel 25 extends downwardly from the shoulder and carries athreaded section 26. This threaded section is made with coarse square oracme threads which engage threads 21 of a sleeve 28. The sleeve 28 isinternally threaded at 30 to receive a tubular mandrel extension 3|. Theupper end of the tubular mandrel extension 3| is formed with a threadedpin 32 terminating in a shoulder 33 which abuts against a shoulder face34 of the sleeve 28. The lower end of the mandrel extension 3! receivesa cap 35 which holds a valve seat 36 in position. The valve seat 36receives a ball 3'! of a circulating valve and is yieldably held by aspring 38. A cross spider 39 is carried by an extension bracket 40 whichaffords a seat for the spring 38 and also allows free circulation offluid downward through the valve seat 36 when the valve ball 3'! ismoved from its seat. The bracket 40 is carried as a part of the cap andextends down into a bore 4| formed longitudinally of the lower end of asub 42. The sub 42 carries a pin 43 which is externally threaded at 44and is threaded into a. sub 42a which is connected to an element of theretaining valve II. It is understood that at the lower end of the packerit there is disposed a perforate housing l6 which carries a pressurerecording device by which the pressure prevailing below the packer andwithin the well bore may be recorded, and particularly when the shut-oilvalve I5 is closed. The upper end of the sub 42 is formed with a boxsection 45 which is internally threaded at 46 and receives a lowertubular housing section 41. The housing section 4! is formed at itslower end with a counterbore 4B which receives a packing 48. The packing48 flts around the mandrel 3|. The end of the counterbore is threaded,as indicated at 50, to receive packing nut 5! which exerts pressurearound the packing 49 and holds it in its sealed position. This packingwill also receive the outer circumference of the mandrel extension H fora purpose to be hereinafter described. It will be understood that thesleeve 28 may be moved longitudinally by rotation of the upper mandrel22 and the section 23 which carries the threaded section 26. It ispreferable that these threads be right-hand threads, as will behereinafter explained.

The reduced length of mandrel section 26 is fitted with a locking key 52above the shoulder 24 which may be held within key slots 52 formed in aconnecting sleeve 53. This insures that when the mandrels 22 and 25 arefully retracted the key 52 will lock with the sleeve 53 and may bebodily rotated with this sleeve if desired. The sleeve 53 is formed witha pin 54 which is threaded into the upper end of the lower tubularhousing section 41. It is to be understood that the sleeve fl isinternally threaded to receive the thread on the mandrel 25, and that itis provided with a spline 55 which will permit the sleeve to movelongitudinally without rotation.

The sleeve 28 is designed to move longitudinally of and to be heldagainst rotation with the lower tubular housing section 41. This is sothat the mandrel extension 3| may be used as a valve, since it isprovided with a plurality of ports 50 which may be drawn upwardlythrough the packing nut SI and into the packing member 49 to close of!communication with the bore 4| of the lower sub 42 and the interior ofthe mandrel extension ii.

A split ring 58 is secured around the mandrel 22 by clamping nuts 59.are designed to receive the lower seats 60 of an anti-friction thrustbearing 6!. This bearing is provided with thrust balls 62, a cage 63,and an upper ball race 84. The anti-friction bearing is thus disposedbetween the upper faces of the lower seats I and the lower faces of theball race 64. This insures that the mandrel may be rotated freely whenit is desired to tighten or loosen the threaded sections 26 and 21 oithe mandrel section 25 and the sleeve 28, respectively. Disposed abovethe upper ball race 64 is a compression spring 65 which rests against anadjusting collar 66 mounted on the threaded end of the sub IT. Thespring 65 thus holds the key 5! in the keyways 52 and the shoulder 24 inabutting relation to the lower end of sleeve 53, and the collar 66 maybe used to adjust the tension of the spring and the locking action ofthe key.

In operation of the present invention a for- The ring segments 4 mationtool is provided which normally includes a trip valve II, the shut-invalve IS with which the present invention is particularly concerned, aretaining valve l2, an equalizing valve l4, and a desired form of packerIt. It is also to be understood that attached to the lower end of thepacker and the mandrel which extends through it is the perforated nippleor housing ll carrying a pressure responsive recording device. when thetool is assembled as thus described, the structure is connected to astring of drill pipe I by which it is suspended in a well and the toolis then lowered to its position of setting. If a rathole packer is usedit is obvious that the coneshaped packer element will wedge into therelatively small rathole bore at the bottom of the drilled well. In theevent that the tool is to be used with an open straight hole or withinwell easing it is obvious that a desired type of sleeve packer is used.In any event a pressure recorder is attached beneath the well packer sothat the pressure of the connate fluid which is sealed into the wellbore below the packer will exert its pressure and will be forcedinwardly through the wall of the perforated nipple and upwardly throughthe tubular mandrel of the packer. This flow will not take place ofcourse until the retaining valve has been opened by superimposing theweight of the drill string upon the spring II to open the valvestructure, and then to open the trip valve II by some suitable means,such for example as dropping a go-devil into the well. It will beunderstood that at this particular time the shut-in valve l5 will beopen so that the fluid passing through the packer may flow upwardlyaround the bracket 40 and the mandrel extension 3| and then into thecenter of the mandrel extension through the ports 56. During thisoperation the fluid will be free to flow upwardly through the retainingvalve 12 and the trip valve II and into the drill string 10. At thistime it will be evident that the connate fluid in the formation belowthe packer II will not be confined, and that the pressure recorded inthe recording device carried in the perforated nipple It will be lowpressure and will represent the normal fluid pressure yield within theformation penetrated by the well bore. When, however, it is desired toconfine the connate fluid and obtain a reading of its shut-in pressurethe weight upon the drill string Ill will act to compress the spring 65and move the keys 5! out of the keyways 52 as shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawing. The drill string It is then rotated and the screw 2-. will actthrough the threads 21 to retract the sleeve 28 and the mandrelextension 3|. The result will be that the ports 56 will thus be drawnupwardly and within the confines of the packing element 49. This willprevent fluid from beneaththe packer passing upwardly and inwardly intothe ports 56, and will insure that there will not be any supply of fluidfrom beneath the packer flowing upwardly through the valves of thetester and into the entrapping chamber of the drill string. When thiscondition occurs the fluid pressure of the formation will be shut in andthe recording device housed in the perforated nipple It will record thispressure and indicate its variance from the normal flowing pressure inthe well.

In the event a cave-in occurs or for other reasons which requireemergency circulation, the testing tool is normally provided at itslower end with a circulating valve. It will be seen that in the presentstructure the valve ball 31 and its 5 seat 36 will act as a circulatingvalve when the tool is shut or when it is open, so that fluid may beforced downwardly through the drill string and into the tool.

It will thus be seen that the shut-in valve structure here disclosed issimple in construction and may be readily assembled with the otherelements of the testing unit and may be easily manipulated from groundlevel to be either opened or closed.

While we have shown the preferred form of our invention as now known tous, it will be understood that various changes may be made incombination, construction and arrangement of parts by those skilled inthe art, without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A shut-in valve structure comprising an outer tubular housing, afirst tubular mandrel slidably disposed within the housing, a tubularsub on the mandrel for connecting said mandrel to a string of drillpipe, at keyway formed in the housing, a key on said mandrel disposed insaid keyway when the mandrel is in an up position to prevent rotationbetween the mandrel and the housing and enable driving through theconnection and movable out of the keyway when the mandrel is loweredrelative to the housing to allow relative rotation between the mandreland the housing, compression spring means surrounding the mandrel anddisposed between the sub and the housing for urging said mandrel and thehousing to remain in locked relationship, packing means supported by andwithin the housing, said housing having an enlarged bore formed thereinbelow the location of the packing means, a second tubular mandrelslidably disposed within the housing and sealingly engaging the pack ingmeans and having a portion extending into the enlarged bore of thehousing, the last mentioned portion of the second mandrel having a portformed therein, and means slidably but nonrotatably engaging the housingthreadedly connecting the mandrels together operable upon disengagementof the key and keyway and subsequent rotation of the first mandrelrelative to the housing to withdraw the ported portion of the secondmandrel from within the enlarged bore of the housing and position thesame within the confines of the packing means to close off the port andshut in pressure below the housing.

2. A shut-in valve structure comprising an outer tubular housing, afirst tubular mandrel slidably disposed within the housing, a tubularsub on the mandrel for connecting said mandrel to a string of drillpipe, 9. keyway formed in the housing, a key on said mandrel disposed insaid keyway when the mandrel is in an up position to prevent rotationbetween the mandrel and the housing and enable driving through theconnection and movable out of the keyway when the mandrel is loweredrelative to the housing to allow relative rotation between the mandreland the housing, packing means supported by and within the housing, saidhousing having an enlarged bore formed therein below the location of thepacking means, a second tubular mandrel slidably disposed within thehousing, sealingly engaging the packing means and having a portionextending into the enlarged bore of the housing, the last mentionedportion of the second mandrel having a port formed therein, and meansslidably but non-rotatably engaging the housing threadedly connectingthe mandrels together operable upon disengagement of the key and keywayand subsequent rotation of the first mandrel relative to the housing towithdraw the ported portion of the second mandrel from within theenlarged bore of the housing and position the same within the confinesof the packing means to close off the port and shut-in pressure belowthe housing.

3. A shut-in valve structure comprising an outer tubular housing, afirst tubular mandrel slidably disposed within the housing, a tubularsub on the mandrel for connecting said mandrel to a string of drillpipe, a keyway formed in the housing, a key on said mandrel disposed insaid keyway when the mandrel is in an up position to prevent rotationbetween the mandrel and the housing and enable driving through theconnection and movable out of the keyway when the mandrel is loweredrelative to the housing to allow relative rotation between the mandreland the housing, a second tubular mandrel slidably disposed within thehousing adapted to be moved from a first position to a second position,said second tubular mandrel having a port formed therein uncovered whenthe mandrel is in its first position and covered by the housing when themandrel is in its second position, and means slidably but non-rotatablyengaging the housing threadedly connecting the mandrels togetheroperable upon disengagement of the key and keyway and subsequentrotation of the first mandrel relative to the housing to move saidsecond mandrel from its first position to its second position to closethe port.

4. A shut-in valve structure comprising an outer tubular housing, afirst tubular mandrel slidably disposed within the housing, a tubularsub on the mandrel for connecting said mandrel to a string of drillpipe, a keyway formed in the housing, a key on said mandrel disposed insaid keyway when the mandrel is in an up position to prevent rotationbetween the mandrel and the housing and enable driving through theconnection and movable out of the keyway when the mandrel is loweredrelative to the housing to allow relative rotation between the mandreland the housing, a thrust bearing on the upper end of the housingsurrounding the mandrel, compression spring means surrounding themandrel and hearing at its opposite ends against the thrust bearing andsub for urging said mandrel and housing to remain in lockedrelationship, packing means supported by and within the housing, saidhousing having an enlarged bore formed therein below the location of thepacking means, a second tubular mandrel slidably disposed within thehousing, sealingly engaging the packing and having a portion extendinginto the enlarged bore of the housing, the last mentioned portion of thesecond mandrel having a port formed therein, and means slidably butnon-rotatably engaging the housing threadedly connecting the mandrelstogether operable upon disengagement of the key and keyway andsubsequent rotation of the first mandrel relative to the housing towithdraw the ported portion of the second mandrel from within theenlarged bore of the housing and position the same within the confinesof the packing means to close off the port and shut in pressure belowthe housing.

5. A shut-in valve structure comprising an outer tubular housing, afirst tubular mandrel slidably disposed within the housing, a tubularsub on the mandrel for connecting said mandrel to a string of drillpipe, a keyway formed in the 7 min, whey on aidmndreldisposed in'saidkeymwhenthemandrelisinanupposittouto prevent rotation between themandrel and the housing and enable driving through the connectm endmovable out of the keyway when the mandrel is lowered relative to thehousing to allow relative rotation between the mandrel and the housing,a. thrust bearing on the upper end of the housing surrounding themandrel, compression spring means surrounding the mandrel and hearing atits opposite ends against the thrust hearing and. sub to: urging saidmandrel and housing to remain in locked position, a second tubularmandrel slidtbly disposed within the mining and adapted to be moved froma first pmition to a. second position, said second tubular mandrelhaving a port formed therein uncovered when the mandrel is in its firstposition and covered by the housing when the mandrel is in its swondposition, and means slidably but non-mtatably engaging the housingthreadedly connecting the mandrels together and operable upondisengagement of the key and keyway and subsequent rotation of the firstmandrel relative to the housing to move said second mandrel from itsfirst position to its second position to ciose the port.

CLYDE L. HUBER.

HARRY C. SKIPPER.

References Cited in the file of this potent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,814,894 Cameron July 14, 1931 1,950,654 Boles Mar. 13, 19342,197,078 McKinley Apr. 16, 1940 2,218,988 Johnston Oct. 22, 1940

